[P‐050]: Computerized cognitive tests identify MCI in urban black individuals

Cognitive assessment is critical for detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia. However, most assessment tools have been validated only in highly-educated, predominantly white cohorts, and hence their suitability for individuals with fewer years of education and varying cultural backgrounds remains undetermined. The validity of the Mindstreams Global Assessment Battery, a set of computerized tests that assess performance across multiple cognitive domains, was evaluated in identifying MCI in an urban black cohort. To assess the validity of Mindstreams computerized cognitive tests in identifying MCI in a largely Afro-Caribbean inner city cohort. Elderly participants from an inner-city primary care clinic with conference diagnoses of cognitively healthy (N=22; age: 67.6±4.6; years of education: 13.6±3.2) or MCI (N=27; age: 69.2±6.5; years of education: 10.3±3.7) completed the Mindstreams Global Assessment Battery (NeuroTrax Corp., NY). Discriminant validity was tested by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age, education, gender, and computer experience entered as covariates in separate analyses when indicated both by a between-group difference and by correlation with performance. Area under the curve (AUC) computed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used a measure of effect size. Primary outcomes were age- and education-normalized Memory, Executive Function, and Visual Spatial summary (‘index’) scores and an ‘MCI Score’ score summarizing performance in cognitive domains most sensitive to MCI. The Memory index score (AUC=0.816) discriminated MCI from cognitively healthy (F{1,47}=19.56, p<0.001), even after adjustment for education (F{1,46}=10.86, p=0.002) and computer use (F{1,46}=14.857, p<0.001). The Executive Function (AUC=0.737) index score discriminated MCI from cognitively healthy (F{1,44}=7.25, p=0.01), as did the Visual Spatial (AUC=0.683) index score (F{1,47}=5.18, p=0.03). The MCI Score (AUC=0.829) discriminated MCI particularly well (F{1,44}=21.86, p<0.001), even after adjustment for education (F{1,43}=13.89, p=0.001) and computer use (F{1,43}=16.705, p<0.001). Mindstreams tests exhibit good discriminant validity for MCI in urban black individuals. Future work should evaluate applicability of Mindstreams in additional minority populations.